The Butler Health System Heart Team works in the Electrophysiology Lab which opened Wednesday. The state-of-the-art machinery will allow for more advanced diagnostic imaging.

A new lab of Butler Memorial Hospital will bring the health system's future further into focus.

The Butler Health System Heart Team opened its Electrophysiology Lab Wednesday at its 127 Oneida Valley Road facility. The new lab features a Canon fluoroscopy unit capable of using low amounts of radiation to achieve diagnostic imaging.

“They've been working on this for several months,” said Dr. James Storey, who heads the electrophysiology team with Dr. Marco Cavagna. “It's going to allow us to move forward and expand our services.”

Chris Gaiser, a nurse on the team, said patients won't notice much difference other than being surrounded by new equipment.

“It's definitely a state-of-the-art lab,” Gaiser said.

At a base level, the lab has high-tech equipment suited for the medical niche, some of which tracks vital signs and others deliver precise 3D-mapping of inside a person's body.

“The quality of the imaging is better, and the room is a bit bigger and more versatile for us,” Gaiser said.

With new equipment comes new possibilities. Storey said his entire team is excited about procedures they can now perform more efficiently.

One procedure called the Convergent Procedure is a hybrid surgery to correct atrial fibrillation, which is a fast and irregular heart rhythm. During the procedure, the electrophysiology team works alongside cardiothoracic surgeons to map, isolate and correct the problem.

Storey said the lab's technology and space create a good atmosphere in a shared space with loads of up-to-date patient data.

“We've got all the bells and whistles of monitoring,” Storey said. “It's really one of the nicer rooms I've ever been in.”

Another procedure involves the medical team installing a Watchman Device, which is a small implant placed in the heart that can reduce the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Storey said the implant is typically placed inside people who have long-standing issues with arrhythmia. The device seals off an appendage on the left atrium of the heart, where more than 90 percent of blood clots form in patients with atrial fibrillation.

“This would be good for patients who have problems with blood thinners,” he said.

Storey started with BHS in February just before the COVID-19 pandemic began. He said he had to wait while the hospital performed only services deemed life-sustaining.

Now that the hospital reopened to its full capabilities and with a new lab at his disposal, he is excited about what can be accomplished.

“The team here is great,” Storey said. “The nurses, the staff and the lab are excellent.”